


and we'll watch christmas tv

by celaenos



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Femslash Yuletide, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:40:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2828600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celaenos/pseuds/celaenos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura's father is stuck in an airport for Christmas, so Laura tries to make Christmas dinner the way he always used to when she was a kid. And... fails. Miserably.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and we'll watch christmas tv

_So,_ _the kitchen is on fire_. Laura thinks. _Those are definitely flames_.

In the span of about ten seconds, she runs through her options:

  1. **Stop, drop, and roll.** Pros: it's what she was taught to do as a child whenever there is a fire, in school, by professionals. So there must be some legitimacy to it. Cons: she is not, as it is, currently on fire, but the flames shooting out of the oven will almost definitely consume her shortly, so it could come up. Also, while she might protect _herself_ in this situation, the oven, and the chicken in it will still be aflame. As will the rest of the apartment, and everyone else in it. Namely, Carmilla.

  2. **Grab a towel and start smacking** **at** **the flames.** Pros: she's seen people do that in movies. Cons: it seems like it might only add fuel to the flames? And what if the cloth gets caught on fire? And she can't remember seeing it actually end up _work_ _ing_ in any movie.

  3. **Throw water at the oven.** Pros: water definitely douses flames. Cons: she doesn't have a bucket.




Laura is staunchly ignoring the noise from the smoke detector, and trying and figure out the best way to angle the water spout towards the oven, when Carmilla runs into the kitchen and yanks her back.

"I was handling it," says Laura weakly while Carmilla sprays the oven with a fire extinguisher. "Also, I didn't realize we had that. Or I totally would have used it."

Carmilla turns to Laura and blows her bangs out of her eyes with a huff. She levels Laura with a glare that is no longer impressive since Laura sees it so often. "It was right in the hall."

"I... hadn't checked there yet," Laura says in her defense. The oven makes a loud popping sound and the both of them jump backwards, Carmilla still welding the fire extinguisher, ready to blast it again if necessary.

"I think that's it," she says, still eyeing the oven. The noise seems to be growing louder in protest.

Laura walks forward cautiously, "Well... the chicken is all gross now," she says, looking at the mess beginning to congeal in front of them.

Carmilla turns her head towards Laura very slowly. "It was _burnt_ before," she points out. Not unkindly. Then she stands on top of a chair and starts waving at the smoke detector with a towel, motioning for Laura to crack open a window.

Laura realizes that she is pouting slightly, and choses to ignore it. "Well, it's worse _now,_ ” she says, moving to open the window above the sink.

Carmilla refrains from commenting.

"I screwed it all up," Laura whines loudly. She can feel the tears that are threatening to fall down her face. She had been trying so hard to get everything perfect, exactly the way her dad used to make Christmas dinner. He is a _great_ cook. Laura doesn't seem to have inherited any of his abilities.

"Laura," starts Carmilla, sympathetically.

Laura plows on, tears falling down her face rapidly. "The chicken is burnt and covered in extinguisher gunk, the mashed potatoes are like... big gross clumps. And I haven't even started on anything else yet!"

Carmilla looks around the kitchen, "Well, the salad looks good," she says helpfully.

Laura wails. "It came pre-made in a bag!" She is full on crying now, her breath coming out in ragged, frustrated gasps. She can see Carmilla approaching her cautiously through her tears. She knows that she is being ridiculous, has been since last night. But the stress of trying to make an entire dinner all on her own, just like her dad used to when she was little has been getting to her. It's embarrassing beyond belief and she can't seem to stop herself.

Carmilla doesn't say anything, just wraps her arms around Laura and waits until she has cried herself out.

"You know nobody cares about chicken right?" she asks after Laura has mostly calmed down.

"It's not just that it's..." she trails off, choking on her words.

"It's just _a day_ Laura. Who cares? We can order a pizza. Everyone likes pizza."

"But it's _Christmas_ ," Laura protests, "it's supposed to be more special than pizza."

Carmilla ponders it, biting at her lower lip in the way that would normally make Laura a little crazy if she wasn't so upset. "We could get a gourmet pizza," Carmilla offers. "With cookies on top," she cracks a smile at Laura, toothy and wide. And it makes Laura feel better instantly. Carmilla has one of the best smiles in the world.

Laura laughs and sinks into her. "Chocolate chip?" she asks.

"Of course," Carmilla says, her grin widening once she realizes that she has cheered Laura up.

Laura sighs, "I just wanted everything to be like he does it," she whispers into Carmilla's shoulder. Her father is stuck in an airport for Christmas. He called Laura late the night before to give her the bad news. It will be the first Christmas she has ever spent without him. He was supposed to meet Carmilla and all her friends for the first time. Not be left alone in an airport for three days. They always watch _Home Alone_ together, every single year. And there are supposed to be perfect mashed potatoes, grilled chicken, green beans and corn. Then cookies. No matter what else was happening that year, whether or not Laura ended up getting the presents she wanted, or if there was snow, she could count on her father's Christmas dinner and _Home Alone_.

"I'm sorry," says Carmilla, rubbing at Laura's back gently. It helps calm her down further. "But I think maybe he'd rather have his house and you both intact, eating pizza, than burnt lumpy food. Or possible trips to the ER," she adds with a smirk.

"Hey," Laura protests, lightly smacking Carmilla's shoulder. “It wasn't that bad,” she turns and surveys the damage to the oven. White foam litters nearly the entire half of the kitchen and Carmilla raises a single eyebrow at Laura and waits. “Well...” Laura says, a little indignantly, "it's not _terrible,_ ” she gives Carmilla a sheepish grin. “It could have been _much_ worse."

Carmilla bites her lower lip quickly, but Laura can see the laugh that she is trying to suppress anyway. “Believe me,” Carmilla says, “I know.” 

…

…

Two hours later, Danny, Lafontaine, Perry and Kirsch have all arrived. Danny props her laptop up on the couch, Laura's father on Skype as they sit in the living room eating pizza and watching _Home Alone_. True to her word, Carmilla manages to convince the pizza delivery boy to put chocolate chip cookies on a few slices.

All in all, it doesn't end up to be as terrible of a Christmas as Laura would have thought.

 


End file.
